Lid fastener



y 29, 1952 A. CLAUD-IMANTLE 2,605,123

LID FASTENER Filed March 24. 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORN E '5 y 29,1952 A. CLAUD-MANTLE 2,605,123

LID FASTENER Filed March 24. 1949 3 s t -s t 2 I II I ATTORN EYSPatented July 29, 1952 LID FASTENER Arthur Gland-Mantle, Trumbull, Conn,assignor to The Bassick Company, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation ofConnecticut Application March 24, 1949, Serial No.. 83,201

9 Claims.

Another object is to provide a device adapted to,

exert an. effective pull upon the lid so that, by the placing of aresilient. gasket or packing member between the lid and the body,an'ai'r-tight and Water-tight connection can be provided between the lidand. the body,

Another object. is toprovide a. fastener in which the toggle membercarried by the box body has a substantially flush position with respectto the box wall when the lid is fastened in plaoe,.and may also bevplaced in a, substantially flush position after the-lid has been removedfrom the box.

Another object is; to provide a fastening toggle member attached to.- adished base plate, in which the toggle is so related to the base platethat there can be no-l eakageof air or liquid through the base plateAnother object to provide an improved toggle member for a fastenerofthis general character.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a-pers'pectiveview of a box equipped with a number offasteners embodying my improvements, the lid being in the closedposition;

Fig. 2 is. an elevation on a larger scale, showing one of the'fastenersillustrated in. Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a. sectional view taken through a portion of'the lid and. a;portion of the box body, the base plate or the toggle member being shownin elevation; v 1

e is an enlarged section on line 4-4 of Fig, 2;.

Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig, 4, showing the fastener in areleased position;

Fig. 6 is-a view similar to Fig. 5, showingthe fastener in anotherposition;

Fig. 7 is a similar sectional view, showing the box-equipped part of thefastener, with the toggle member drawn back into the base plate, the lidhaving been removed;

Fig. 8 is a face view of the box-equipped part of the fastener, theparts being in the position of Fig.7;

Figs; 9 and '10 are sections looking in. the di- 2 rection of the arrows9-9, and Hi'l0. of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is. a perspective view of the catch memher; and

Fig; 12 is a perspective view of a modified form of fastener member.

In the first embodiment shown by way of example, there is a box having aseparable lid,.there being in all eight fasteners employed in making theconnection between the lid and body, the construction being such thatwhen all of the fasteners are released the lid can belifted off. Eachfastener comprises in this form a strap-like. retainer applied to thelid, and a box-equipped fastener part comprising a base plate and atoggle member mounted on the base plate, the toggle member in turncomprising a catch lever cooperating with the member on the lid, and anoperating or manipulating lever, In the operative position the catch(carried bythej body is. under the action of a spring element whichexerts downward rectilinear pull upon the adjacent part of the lid, sothat by interposin'g a resilient gasket or packing member between thelid and the. body, which can be compressed by the action ,of thefastener, an air-tight ahdliquid-tight, connection can be madebetweenthellid and the body. In thisform the catch member of .thetoggle. has a hook at the upper end adapted to engage a slot in theretainer on theli'd, The baseplate is dished, and in the operativeposition of the. device the operating lever and a considerable part ofthecatch member are disposed in. the sunken part or recess of the baseplate, as will hereinafter app'ean In the drawings, the box body isindicated at 20., the lid at 2|, the retainer: applied to the lidat 22,the base plate at 23, the ,catch lever at 26, the operating lever at 25,the hook carried by the upper end of the catchlev'er. at 26,, andthefhookengaging slot at 2T.

The base plate 23 'i's a vertically elongated member having a rim 28'that is armies by suitable fastening members 29' to the wall 30 of thebox body, around a cut-out 3]. in. the box wall, which cut-out receivesthe sunken. or depressedpart 32 of the vbase, plate. The toggle.comprisin the members 24 and.25 is mounted in the sunken part of. thebase plate, the operating lever 25 having a pivotal mounting 33 intheupper part of the base plate recess. The pivotal mounting is providedbetween what maybe termed the upper end of the lever 25 and a bracket34, which is set in the upper end portion ofthe plate recess andattached thereto; ina suitable. manner as by welding. In the form;shown" the bracket'ti is made of sheet metal, having a base 35 that iswelded to the plate at the bottom of the plate recess. The bracket isprovided at the ends with lug portions 36 that extend forwardly, and thepivot mounting 33 may be provided by a pin passing through the lugs 36and through the adjacent end of the operating lever 25. The operatinglever is generally of U shape, the sides of the U being provided bywalls 31 parallel to each other, these walls being secured near theirupper extremities to the ends of the pivot pin 33, and the bracket 34being disposed between these ends, and the pivot pin being extendedloosely through perforations in the lugs 36.

It has been said that the operating lever 25 is generally of U shape,and in this connection it 7 is noted that the lower or intermediate partof the U is provided by a plate portion 38 integral with the side walls31, the part 38 being in a plane perpendicular to the planes of the sidewalls, and the plate portion 38 being preferably curved at the loweredge, as shown at 39, for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. Theside walls or legs of the operating lever may conveniently have aprofile such as shown in the drawings, and the plate portion 38 ispreferably disposed adjacent the upper or outer edges of the legs. I

As will be seen from'Fig. 4, for example, the upper edge of the plateportion 38, when the arts are in the position of Fig. 4,. is disposedadjacent and below a bracket 40, which is shown as constituted by anangle piece having one part or leg secured as by welding to the plate atthe bottom of the plate recess, as indicated at 4|, the other leg orbranch of the bracket being horizontal and having its free edge locatedslightly above the plate portion 38. This bracket or shelf, projectingfrom the bottom of the plate recess, has cooperation with the catchmember of the toggle, as hereinafter pointed out.

The catchmember 24 of the toggle may be conveniently made of sheet metalin the form shown in Fig. 11, having below thehook portion 26 a body 42which is wider than the hook portion and inthe nature of a plate, saidbody being provided with inwardly bent side flanges 43, and with aninwardly bentfiange 44 at the lower end. In width the body of the catchmember and the associated side flange portions 43 and the flange 44 isonly slightly less than the distance between the legs or side walls ofthe operating lever, so that the catch member can be received within theoperating lever, the arrangement being such that the body of the catchmember and the operating lever may be placed substantially flush withthe outer face of the base plate flange. ,The side flanges 43 of thecatch member are provided at the lower part only of the catch member,and these flanges are provided near their upper ends with slots 45,elongated longitudinally of the catch member, and serving to provide acertain amount of lost motion between the operating lever and the catchmember, inasmuch as these slots are engaged by a pivot pin 46 thatpivots the catch member to thelever. The pivot pin 46 has its endsfastened to the legs of the operating lever intermediate of the ends ofthe operating lever, at a substantial distance from the pivot pin 33,and portions of the pin 46 near the ends thereof are engaged in theslots. The pivot pin 46 also serves as a mounting for a U-shapedspring-guiding member 41. The intermediate part of the U is uppermost,and near this intermediate part the legs of the U are provided withperforations which engage the pin 46. The lower extremities of theU-shaped guide are indicated at 48, and these are slidingly engaged withcorrespondingly shaped slots 49 in the flange 4'4. Coil springs 50 aredisposed about the respective legs of the spring guide 41, and are incompression between the lower flange 44 of ,the catch member andshouldered parts 5| at the upper ends of the guide legs, and by thisarrangement the catch member is urged downwardly by spring pressure, sothat normally the pin 46 will be in the upper ends of the slots 45.

The retainer or catch part carried by the lid may be constituted by anangle strap having one leg riveted or otherwise secured to the top ofthe lid, and the other leg riveted or otherwise secured to the edge ofthe lid, the last-named leg having the slot 21, previously mentioned, inwhich the hook 26 engages. The hook 26 may have its uppermost surfacedisposed along a gradual are, as shown in Fig. 2. The catch 26 engagesover the lower edge of the slot 21in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3.The are along which the upper edge of hook 26 is formed has its centerabove the hook. This provides a satisfactory and durable means ofengagement between the hook and the slotted retainer.

In the operative position of the fastener, the springs 58 are underconsiderable compression, and the lower extremities of the spring guideextend out of the catch member in the manner shown in Fig. 2. The catchmember, under these conditions. is subjectedto a strong downward pull,the result being that a rubber or like gasket or packing member 52 (Fig.3) is strongly compressed in the space between the lid and the box body,so as to provide an aireproof and liquidproof joint. The base plate isimperforate except for the perforations in the flange or rim throughwhich the fasteners 28 pass, and suitable provisions may be employed inconnection with these fasteners which pass through the wall of the boxto prevent any leakage around the base plate.

The fastener being in the latched position, release can readily be.effected by placing the finger or thumb under the lower end. of theoperating lever so as to engage plate portion 38 and move the lever fromthe position of Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 5 In the position of Fig. 4the pivot 46 is about midway of the slots 45, but, as soon as theoperating lever is swungoutwardly to a certain extent, the catch memberis shifted to the position shown in Fig. 5, which frees it for pivotalmovement and causes the catch hook to disengage the cooperatingretainer. When all of the fasteners have been released, the lid can belifted off of the box. When the lid has been removed it may be desiredto replace the fasteners in posi: tions in which they are substantiallyflush with the box wall, and in doing this the fastener parts movethrough the position shown in Fig. 6 to the position shown in Fig. 7. Asa first step, the lower end of the catch member is engaged with theshelf-like bracket 40, as shown in Fig. 6.. This is facilitated bytheprovision of a rounded surface on the catch member where its lowerflange joins the front wall. The next step is to press downward on theoperating lever, which fulcrums (from the position of Fig. 6 to theposition of Fig. 7) the catch lever causingthe pivot pin 46 to movedownwardly in the slots 45 and further compress the springs 50. Thisaction causes a relatively heavy downward thrust on the catch memberthrough the lower flange 44 cgcozgraa- 5;. thereof, the latter beingheld; in strong engagement with the shelf-like bracket 49. When thepivot pin 46 has passed the dead-center, the=-ac-- straightening of the.toggle to nest in the. openv tion of the springs 50'is then suchas: tothrust purpose of providing a reactanc'e' member orffulmm in thedepressed part of thebase plate, against which the spring's50', ortheirequivalent's, can be compressedinshifting'from the open position ofFig. 5' to the closed or stored position of- Fig. 7-; In moving from theposition of Fig; 6' to the position of'Fig. '7, there-is some downwardmovement of the pin 46 in the slots 453-1ollbwed by an upward movement.

From what has been said it will be understood how the lid can again beclamped in position. First the toggle is placed in a position similar tothat of'Fig. 5, and the hook engaged with the retainer. Then theoperating'lever is pressed downward, again causing the pivot pin 46 tomove downwardly in the slots 45 and further compress the springs '50.When the pivot pin" 46 has passed the dead center; the action of thesprings 50 is then such as to thrust the pivot pin 46 upwardly in theslots 45 and thus at this point the catch member snaps" into theposition shown in Fig; 4, where the spring-urged position of the pivotpin 46-, being over center, and the stron engagement between the hook ofthe catch member and the retainer efiectively prevent dislocation of thecatch member. By reason of theforegoing it is understood thatthetog'gle' has a double throw. When the toggle is in the position shownin Fig. 4, the lid offers such resistance to the downward pull that thecatch member, instead of remaining in contact with the shelf, is held ina higher position, its lower end being spaced upwardly from the shelfto: a substantial degree;

On analysis of the toggle-fastening means herein described, it is"apparent that the operating lever has an end pivoted to the base plate",and a free manipulating end, and is pivoted" intermediate of its endsto-the catch member. The catch member extends from the catch hook at oneend to the pivot or fulcrum with or on the operating lever, and fromthis point" the catch. member is continued in intersecting relation tothe operating member" to provide an interior spring mechanism having thedescribed action. It will also be evident that this extended part'of thecatch member is also utilized to some extent in providing thelost-motion connection, as by a pin and slot, provided"-betweentheoperating'lever and the catch member. In the operativeposition of the fastener (Fig; 4-), as Well as inthe particularinoperative position shown in Fig. 7', the lost motion between the leverand catchmemher is, of course, taken up'b'y thespri'ng or springs whichpress the catch member so that itmay only be displaced against thecompression oft'he spring or springs. v Y

It will be noted from Figs; 5' and 61 that, in manipulation, the toggleconsisting of twolevers assumes a crossing or X formation, thedownwardly extended part of the catch lever being movable to engage theabutment 40, an the era-- tended. part. of the: catch leveribein'gladapted on or'birurcated?operatinglever;

It is of distinct advantage to be able to. place:

themain. part of' the toggle in: a flush position with respect to thebox, when: the. box is. closed or when the box is open- Thetdevice is ofrelatively simple structure: and is.- inexpensive to manufacture, andis' of: adurable character. An important further advantage arises fromthe fact that the box or other container; when closed, can be-full ysealed} againsttheentranc'e of: air, vapor, gas-or liquid, so as" togive the most efiective protection to the contents of the container.Moreover, the improved: fastener can be manipulated ina convenient,quick andfacile manner.

Another advantage of the device arises from the fact that apadlock orseal wirecan readily and conveniently be" used with the-fastener toguard against" tampering; In Fig. 4 a padlock. is

shown in dotted: lines, the same: having its: body disposed immediatelybelow the lower: end of the operating-lever portion: 38,. andihaving;its. shackle passed: through a hole 40% in theibrackettorr abutment 40'and. through the aperture. in. the operating: lever. lying: above thepart. 38; so. that. the op.- eratingilever is;lockedito.=said:abutment.. A. seal wire or padlockv can. also be; applied when.the parts are. in. the position. of Fig.. 7; inwhich. position a slot.40 in the catch: lever allows ample clearance for the. wire or'the.padlock shackle.

In the modifiedv form shown. in Fig; 12,. the mounting plate 23? isnotsunk Withintthe: con.- tamer" wall but. is applied: flatwise: thereto bysuitable fastening devices. This: mounting plate is provided; with:bent-up: side walls: 52: between which the. operating. lever" 25pivoted. at: 53. The: abutment; 54 is in. this case formedas a liporsflange" integral-with the. plate 23. at thelower end. thereof... Thecatch member 24 is. generally similar to. the. member: 24. previouslydescribed, and; the member 25 is similar to the member 25 previouslydescribed. The catch lever folds into a space defined by'the-walls' 52and the abutment 54;. and; as before, folds:v into the. biiurcatedoperating lever;

The illustrated construction isby wayof'example. only, and variouschanges in the organization of parts and. in. the. details may be madewithout. departurev from. the. principles of the invention: or the scopeo'fi the claims.

WhatIlclaimis;

1.. In a. lid. fastener, a fastening assembly suitable for attachmentto. a. box body and which exerts a resilient: downward pull on a boxlid, comprising: a. mounting: plate and a toggle: carried. by themounting. plate; said toggle comprising. an operating lever. pivotedat.the upper end of the mountingrplate-and also comprising a catch leverhaving: a pivotal and. lost-motion connection: intermediate; of itsends. with the operating lever. andv di'spl'aceable:..against springpressure withrespect toitsconnection. with the operating lever, saidcatch. lever: having av lower fulcruming. end,.iand a. bracket mountedat the lower end of. the mounting: plate:- presenting an. abutmentengageable: with the lower'fizlcruming end of the catch. lever, said.levers being iolda-ble against said mounting: plate when: not used to.fasten a box. lid. and under these: conditions. the. last-mentioned end.of. said: catch. lever being held against said abutment: by'saidspri'ngpressure- 2; In a lid. fastener, the combination of a mounting:platehaving forwardly directed side walls and. aflangeat the; lower end:thereof providing ari abutment, and a manually operable. over-centertoggle carried by said plate comprising a bifurcated operating leverhaving its leg portions pivoted to the plate between said side walls andalso comprising a catch lever located between'said leg portions andhaving a springpressed pivotal and lost-motion connection with theoperating'lever intermediatethe ends, of the operating lever, said catchlever having one of its, ends formed for engagementiwith a retainer andhaving a fulcruming extension beyond its pivotal connection withtheoperating lever, said fulcruming extension being engageable with saidabutment and held thereto when the box lid has been removed and theoperatinglever is thereafter pushed to the limit of its movement in thedirection of the plate.

- 3. In a lid fastener'adapted to exert a resilient downward pull ,on abox lid, a mounting plate, a manually operable over-center togglecarried by said plate comprising an operating leverpivoted to the plate,a rigid catch lever provided with a flange and having a pivotal andlost-motion connection with said operating lever intermediate the endsof said operating lever, and a spring interposed between said flange andsaid last-mentioned connection and acting 'to'hold said levers infastening position when a box lid is fastened.

4. In a lid fastener adapted to exert a resilient downward pull on a boxlid, a mounting plate, a manually'operable over-center toggle carried bysaid plate comprising an operating lever pivoted to the plate, a rigidcatch lever having one end adapted for fastening a box lid and having aflange located at the other end thereof, said catch lever havinglongitudinal slots therein intermediate the ends of the catch lever, apivot pin in said slots and connecting the catch lever to the operatinglever intermediate the ends of the latter, and a coil spring compressedbetween said flange and said pivot pin and adapted to hold said leversin fastening position when a-box lid is fastened.

5. In a device such as described, a resilient fastening membercomprising a mounting plate having a sunken portion and a flangesubstantially surrounding said portion and suitable for attachment to abox body, a bracket fixed within said sunken portion at the lower partof the plate and presenting an abutment, a bifurcated operating leverhaving its leg portions pivoted to said plate in the sunken portionthereof at the upper part of the plate and swingable into the sunkenportion, a rigid catch lever having one of its ends formed forengagement with a box lid and having a flange located at the other endthereof, said catch lever having a lost-motion and pivotal connectionwith the operating lever intermediate the ends of the catch lever, and acoil spring compressed, between said last-mentioned connection and saidflange of the catch lever, the catch lever being straddled by theoperating lever and the levers lying'substantially within said sunkenportion of the mounting plate when the toggle is straightened, andsaidflange of the catch lever being engageable with said abutment andheld thereto by the action of said spring when the box lid has beenremoved and the toggle is straightened thereafter. i

6. In a lid fastener, a mounting plate, a manually operable over-centertoggle carried by said plate comprising a bifurcated operating leverhaving its leg portions pivoted to .the plate, a rigid catch leverhaving one end adapted for fastening a box lid and havinga flangelocated at the other end thereof, said; catch-:lever having longitudinalslots therein intermediate the ends of the catch lever, a pivot pin insaid slots and connecting the catch lever to the operating lever, and acoil spring compressed between said flange and said pivot pin andadapted to hold said levers in fastening position when a box lid isfastened, said catch lever exerting a resilient downward pull, on thebox lid and said catch lever being straddled by said bifurcatedoperating lever.

'7. In a lid fastener, a fastening assembly suitable for attachment to abox body and which exerts a resilient downward pull on a box lid,comprising a mounting plate having an abutment at the lower portionthereof and a toggle carried by the upper portion of-said plate, saidtoggle comprising a bifurcated operating lever having its leg portionspivoted to, the mounting plate, a pivot pin intermediate the ends of theoperating lever, a. rigid catch lever having a slotted connection withsaid pivot pin intermediate the ends of the catch lever and thelastmentioned lever being straddled by the operating lever, said catchlever having one of its ends formed for fastening a box lid and having aflange located at the other end thereof, and a coil spring compressedbetween said flange of the catch lever and said pivot pin, said catchlever being displaceable against the pressure of said spring in thedirection of the box lid, and said flange of the catch lever beingengageable with said abutment and held thereto by the pressure of saidspring when the lid of the box has been removed and the toggle isthereafter closed.

8. In a lid fastener, a fastening assembly suitable for attachment to abox body and which exerts a resilient downward pull on a box lid,comprising a mounting platev and a togglecarried by the mounting plate,said toggle comprising a U-shaped operating'lever having its legportions pivoted to the mounting plate and the lower portion adapted formanual manipulation, a rigid catch lever located between said legportions of the operating lever and having at the lower part inwardlyextending side flanges and an inwardly extending bottom flange, saidside flanges having longitudinal slots in the respective upper portionsthereof, a pivot pin extending through said slots and connected to theleg portions of the operating lever, and a coil spring compressedbetween said pivot pin and said bottom flange of thecatch lever, saidcatch lever having its upper end'formed for fastening a box lid, saidcatch lever being displaceable against the pressure of said spring inthe direction of the box lid, and said catch lever having its sideflanges and bottom flange adjacent the leg portions and the lowerportion of the operating lever respectively when the toggle is closed.v.

9; In a lid fastener, a fastening assembly suitable for attachment to abox body and which exerts a resilient downward pull on a box lid,comprising a mounting plate and an over-center toggle carried by themounting plate, said toggle comprising a U-shaped operating lever havingits leg portions pivoted to the mounting plate and the lower portionadapted formanual manipulation, a rigid catch lever located between saidleg portions of the operating lever and having at the lower partinwardly extending side flanges and an inwardly extending bottom flange,said bottom flange having two slots therein and said side flanges havingslots in the respective upper portions thereof, a pivot pin extendingthrough said slots in the side flanges and connected to 2,605,123 9 10said leg portions of the operating lever, a U- REFERENCES CITED shapedspring-guiding member having its leg The following references are ofrecord in the portions respect1ve1y slidable in said slots in the fileof this patent: bottom flange of the catch lever and having theintermediate part of the U uppermost and con- 5 UNITED STATES PATENTSnected to said pivot pin, and coil springs dis- Number Name Date posedabout the respective leg portions of the 2,457,985 Dyson Jan. 4, 1949spring-guiding member and in compression be- 2,462,282 Pickford Feb. 22,1949 tween said bottom flange of the catch lever and i said intermediatepart of the spring-guiding 10 FOREIGN PATENTS member and adapted to holdsaid levers in fasten- Number Country Date ing position when a box lidis fastened, saidcatch 261710 Great Britain 1: 1905 lever having itsupper end formed for fastening a box lid and said catch lever beingdisplaceable against the pressure of said springs in the direc- 15 tionof the box lid.

ARTHUR CLAUD-MANTLE.

